Movie: Beyond Eruv

Beyond Eruv is a documentary film about an 18-year old boy who decides to leave his Hasidic community and build a life for himself in the secular world. The film follows his struggles and roadblocks along the way.

I really appreciated this film. I was captivated by it. It's something I'll remember for a long time.

I saw it from the perspective of how we are so impacted by our upbringing and early education (or lack there of). It is a true "coming of age" story. It sheds light on how important it is for young people to receive support and structure. But too much or too little can have negative impacts on a person's life. After being raised in such a sheltered environment, and then entering a new life with virtually no guidance, can lead one to chaos.

It was as a movie about what it means to be a member of an insulated community, and what happens when one begins to question that upbringing. I feel it could have been any close knit society: Amish, Pentecostal, Hasidic. Even a gay child growing up in straight society! It doesn't matter what the community or what they preach, they all carry a similar thread of "expectation". If you don't fit into the framework of that expectation, then life will be hard for you as you struggle to find your place. It's a fact that some people who are born into that type of lifestyle don't belong in such a structured mindset. It has no baring on whether or not that society is "good" or "bad". This movie was a reminder that above all, we are all just people on quest for a sense of self.

What a fiery discussion this film raises, on so many levels. It's a film that its director, crew, and participants should be very proud of.

Watch the trailer here.